371.8 
F659 


Chicago  and  Alton  Railway 
The  Flood  of  1903. 


MW01S  HISTORICAL  SURMHC 


1UW01S  HISTORICAL  SUR« 


tlheFLOODofl903 


THE   FLOOD  OF  1903 


,£ 


DEDICATED  TO  OUR  FRIENDS,  THE  TICKET 
AGENTS  THROUGHOUT  THE  COUNTRY.  WHO 
CAN  ESPECIALLY  APPRECIATE  THE  DIFFI- 
CULTIES UNDER  WHICH  RAILWAYS  ARE 
SOMETIMES     COMPELLED     TO     OPERATE 


7   Q 


THE    FLOOD    OF     19Q3 

DURING  the  month  of  June,  1903,  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railway  passed 
through  the  most  disastrous  flood  conditions  in  the  history  of  the  prop- 
erty. High  water  made  its  appearance  at  Kansas  City,  May  31st,  and 
ended  at  East  St.  Louis,  June  18th,  which  covers  a  period  of  nearly  three  weeks. 
During  that  time  both  all-rail  passenger  and  all-rail  freight  service  was  impossi- 
ble between  Chicago,  St.  Louis  and  Kansas  City,  except  by  detouring  trains  via 
circuitous  routes  and,  notably,  by  the  use  of  steamboats  between  Alton  and 
St.  Louis.  Communication,  so  far  as  passenger  traffic  was  concerned,  was  carried 
on  continuously.  It  is  principally  of  these  successful  efforts  in  keeping  the 
line  open  that  this  pamphlet  treats,  the  pictures  illustrating  conditions  at  a 
period  when  the  Chicago  &  Alton  was,  in  fact, 

"THE    ONLY    WAY  " 


AT   KANSAS    CITY 

The  high  water  at  Kansas  City  made  its  first  appearance  in  the  12th  Street 
yard,  May  31st.  The  work  of  getting  cars  and  engines  to  neighboring  points  of 
safety  began  at  once,  and  met  with  more  or  less  success,  but  the  water  rose  so 
rapidly  (about  one  foot  an  hour)  that  ten  passenger  and  baggage  cars,  700 
freight  cars  and  two  engines  were  caught  in  the  flood.  Fortunately,  the  water 
did  not  go  completely  over  the  roofs  of  this  equipment,  the  high -water  mark 
ranging  from  the  car  floors  to  within  one  foot  of  the  roofs  of  equipment  left  in  the 
lowest  places.  As  a  result,  only  a  '^small  number  of  cars  were  derailed,  but  the 
yardmasters',  the  car  inspectors'  offices  and  platforms  were  floated  away  or 
badly  damaged. 

In  the  Kansas  City  freight  house  the  water  began  to  creep  over  the  floor, 
May  31st,  at  noon,  and  by  3:45  the  same  afternoon  over  three  feet  of  water 
covered  the  floor.  Employes  left  the  freight  house  on  a  raft  at  4:00  p.  m., 
May  31st. 

The  high  water  came  over  the  floor  of  the  Kansas  City  Union  Depot  at 
11:30  a.  m.,  May  31st,  and  at  9:00  p.  m.,  same  day,  there  was  six  feet  of  water 


over  the  floor.  One  of  the  illustrations  on  another  page,  gives  a  better  idea 
of  this  condition  than  many  words.  Passenger  traffic  into  and  out  of  Kan- 
sas City  Union  Depot  was  suspended  from  May  31st  to  June  9th,  the  C.  &  A. 
running  the  first  train  into  the  Union  Depot,  local  passenger  train  No.  61  from 
Slater,  Mo.,  June  9th,  1903. 

At  Kansas  City  the  highest  point  reached  by  the  Missouri  River  was  35  feet, 
Sunday  night,  May  31st,  but  the  principal  damage  was  caused  by  the  Kaw 
River,  which  rose  eight  feet  higher  than  the  highest  stage  of  the  Missouri. 


AT   GLASGOW 

Where  the  Missouri  River   flows   adjacent  to  the  C.  &  A.   right  of  wav,  the 
roadbed  sustained  six  breaks,  as  follows: 

Break  No.  1,     850  ft.  long,     7  ft.  deep,  5,100  cu.  yds.  fill. 


"    2,  1,300  " 

"      10/' 

"       7,800 

"    280  yds.  trestle. 

"    3,      500  " 

"      12  " 

"       6,200 

" 

"    4,      300  " 

"      13  " 

"       3,700 

" 

"    5,      800  " 

"      13  " 

"    6,      300  " 

"      10  " 

"       3,600 

ii 

All  this  was  in  the  vicinity  of  the  magnificent  million-dollar  bridge — a 
bridge  in  the  approaches  and  reconstruction  of  which  nearly  half  a  million 
dollars  have  been  spent  during  the  last  two  years.  The  bridge,  of  course,  stood 
like  a  rock  against  the  tremendous  current  of  the  water,  but  the  approaches 
and  trestle  work  were  ravaged  by  the  flood,  and  from  June  4th  to  16th  trains 
were  detoured  by  other  lines. 

AT    LOUISIANA 

On  June  5th,  there  occurred  a  washout  of  800  feet,  which  ran  60  feet  deep — the 
result  of  the  break  in  the  Sny  levee.  The  C.  &  A.  right  of  way  formed  a  por- 
tion of  the  levee  at  this  point,  the  track  itself  being  on  the  top  of  the  levee. 
Near  this  washout  the  embankment,  rails,  etc.,  were  completely  washed  away 
and  out  of  sight,  and  it  was  a  case  of  bridging  and  piling  to  cross  the  washout. 
This  was  accomplished  June  16th.  Passenger  trains  in  the  meantime  were 
detoured  by  other  routes 

ALTON,    EAST    ST.    LOUIS    AND    ST.    LOUIS 

These  three  points  may  be  covered  as  one,  for  the  flood  practically  covered 
the  entire  right  of  way  between  these  points.    The  City  of  Alton,  Illinois,  there- 


fore  became  the  railway  terminus  and  starting  point  for  passengers  enroute 
to  and  from  St.  Louis,  and  this  condition  existed  from  Sunday,  June  7th,  to 
Friday,  June   19th,   1903. 

The  principal  trouble  was  at  East  St.  Louis,,  where,  on  Friday  afternoon, 
June  5th,  the  water  was  reported  dangerous.  Extra  freight  equipment  was 
started  to  points  of  safety,  but  Saturday,  June  6th,  prophesy  was  generally 
made  that  the  railroad  property  had  little  to  fear.  The  falsity  of  this  prediction 
was  apparent  when  Sunday  morning,  June  7th,  at  nine  o'clock,  a  telegram 
from  St.  Louis  announced  that  the  water  was  rising  and  that  movement  of  trains 
by  the  Eads  Bridge  was  impossible,  and  that  by  night  there  would  be  little  if 
any  chance  of  any  railway  line  bringing  trains  into  or  taking  trains  out  of  St. 
Louis. 

On  Sunday,  June  7th,  arrangements  were  perfected  with  the  Eagle  Packet 
Companv  to  turn  over  their  two  boats,  the  Spread  Eagle  and  the  Bald  Eagle, 
for  use  in  handling  passengers,  baggage,  mail,  milk  and  express  between  Alton 
and  St.  Louis,  in  connection  with  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railway  trains.  Pass- 
engers from  Chicago  and  Kansas  City  arriving  at  Alton  on  trains  Monday  morn- 
ins:  were  transferred  to  the  boats  and  landed  in  St.  Louis  onlv  twentv  minutes 


later  than  the  usual  schedule  for  the  regular  all-rail  route.  Simultaneously, 
the  service  northbound  was  opened,  passengers  from  St.  Louis  being  taken  to 
Alton  by  boat  and  transferred  to  the  Alton  Limited  and  Kansas  Citv  Limited 
trains,  for  Springfield,  Bloomington,  Chicago  and  Kansas  City. 

The  arrangement  with  the  Eagle  Packet  Company  proved  an  exceptionallv 
satisfactory  one.  The  boats  were  placed  in  charge  of  C.  &  A.  representatives, 
who  accompanied  each  boat  on  each  trip  during  the  entire  flood  period  and 
looked  after  the  comfort  and  convenience  of  all  passengers. 

At  Alton  the  transfer  between  the  boat  and  the  train  was  made  without 
the  slightest  inconvenience  to  the  passengers,  for  the  water  in  the  Mississippi 
rose  to  such  a  height  that  the  boats  threw  their  gang  planks  right  onto  the 
railway  station  platform  within  six  feet  of  the  trains. 

The  landing  at  St.  Louis,  a  floating  dock  house,  conveniently  adjusted 
itself  to  the  varying  heights  of  the  water. 

The  Mississippi  had  overflowed  its  banks  and  the  back  water,  extending 
for  miles  beyond  the  usual  confines  of  the  Father  of  Waters,  presented  a 
truly  magnificent  spectacle.  As  the  boats  passed  the  point  where  the  Missouri 
flows   into  the  Mississippi,  new  and  great    interest  was  awakened,  and  again 


when  the  boats,  with  lowered  stacks  and  watchful  look-outs,  passed  under  the 
Merchants  and  E ads  bridges,  barely  having  room  to  clear,  all  on  board  cheered 
with  the  crowds  of  spectators  who  crowded  the  bridges  and  approaches.  While 
the  trip  on  the  boat  had  these  pleasurable,  novel  and  exciting  features,  the 
devastation  and  suffering  wrought  by  the  flood  was  always  in  evidence.  But, 
upon  the  whole,  the  diversity  from  the  old,  established  rail  route  was  distinctly 
welcome;  so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  since  the  flood  many  requests  have  been 
received  to  continue  the  boat  service  to  the  extent  of  giving  passengers  via 
'"The  Only  Way"  the  option  of  journeying  between  Alton  and  St.  Louis  by 
rail  or  by  boat. 

The  volume  of  baggage,  mail,  express,  milk,  etc.,  was  simply  enormous, 
as  for  days  at  a  time  the  Alton  route  was  the  only  one  in  operation,  and  the 
C.  &  A.  and  the  Eagle  Packet  Company  handled  not  only  their  own  traffic,  but  the 
traffic  of  other  railway  lines  which  were  detouring  their  trains  via  Alton.  The 
casual  observer  who  saw  those  surging  crowds  of  excited,  hurrying  passengers; 
those  tremendous  piles  of  Uncle  Sam's  mail  pouches;  the  mountains  of  baggage 
and  truck  after  truck  of  express  traffic,  and  the  endless  lines  of  negro  roust- 
abouts, each  negro    carrying    his  shining  milk    can  in  the   quick  shamble  up 


and  down  the  gang-planks,  would  imagine  there  was  little  order  'Jn  [all^this 
seeming  confusion,  hurry  and  bustle.  But  if  any  one  went  away  with  [that 
impression,  he  was  wrong,  for  all  was  governed  by  a  perfect  system. 

The  close  observer  noted  the  practiced  methods  which  prevailed;  how  long 
years  of  experience  in  steamboating,  the  loading  of  miscellaneous  cargoes, 
fitted  into  the  flood  conditions,  and  resulted  in  maintaining  a  service  creditable 
to  the  C.  &  A.  Railway  and  to  the  Eagle  Packet  Company. 

The  Eagle  Packet  Company,  whose  roomy  and  handsomely  equipped  river 
packets  were  placed  at  the  service  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Railway  during  the 
two  weeks  of  the  flood,  is  the  oldest  steamboat  line  operating  from  St. 
Louis.  It  'was  founded  in  1S61  by  Captain  William  Leyhe,  its  President, 
and  Captain  Henry  Leyhe,  its  General  Manager.  Its  first  boat  was  named 
the  "Young  Eagle,"  and  its  builders  were  the  captains  themselves,  who  cut,. 
hauled  and  sawed  the  timber  of  which  it  was  constructed.  For  tiller  ropes 
these  enterprising  young  boat-builders  used  the  bed-cords  of  their  mother's 
bed.  The  first  boat  was  built  on  the  wharf  at  Warsaw,  111.,  was  14  feet  wide 
and  80  feet  long,  and  ran  between  Warsaw  and  Alexandria  and  Keokuk. 


In  1865  the  business  of  the  company  had  so  prospered  that  a  second  boat, 
the  Gray  Eagle,  was  built,  also  at  Warsaw,  and  added  to  the  service.  A  third 
boat,  the  first  Spread  Eagle,  was  built  in  1872,  for  the  trade  between  Keokuk 
and  Louisiana. 

In  1874,  the  company  removed  to  St.  Louis,  since  which  time  it  has  enjoyed 
continuous  and  increasing  prosperity,  until  to-day  it  is  operating  four  magnificent 
steamers  and  building  a  fifth,  which  will  be  the  largest  and  finest  of  all.  The 
names  of  the  four  are  the  "Spread  Eagle"  (the  fourth  of  her  name),  the  "Bald 
Eagle,"  the  "Grey  Eagle"  and  the  "Cape  Girardeau."  The  two  former  were 
the  boats  that  did  such  heroic  service  during  the  big  flood,  the  Spread  Eagle, 
under  the  command  of  Capt.  Wm.  Leyhe,  carrying  over  24,000  passengers 
between  St.  Louis  and  Alton,  without  accident,  delay  or  inconvenience,  and  to 
the  general  satisfaction  of  all.  The  Bald  Eagle,  which  was  commanded  by 
Capt.  Harry  Leyhe,  made  a  close  second. 

This  little  history  of  the  flood  of  1903  would  be  incomplete,  did  it  not  contain 
unstinted  praise  for  Mr.  Russel  E.  Gardner,  of  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Mr.  Gardner,  who 
is  president  and  principal  owner  of  the  Banner  Buggy  Co.,  a  successful,  profit- 
sharing  institution,  also  owns    the  private    yacht    "Annie  Russell,"  the  pret- 


tiest  craft  afloat  on  the  Mississippi.  Although  devoted  to  pleasure,  the  boat 
was  put  into  splendid  use  during  the  flood.  Day  and  night  steam  was 
kept  up  in  her  boilers,  the  crew  was  continually  on  duty  during  that  trying 
period,  and  Mr.  Gardner  himself  directed  the  work  of  saving  the  unfortunates, 
whose  retreat  was  cut  off  by  the  merciless  waters.  Mr.  Gardner,  with  his 
yacht,  took  care  of  no  less  than  2,500  flood  sufferers.  From  the  first  signal  of 
distress  up  to  the  time  the  waters  receded  Mr.  Gardner  devoted  himself  to  the 
work  and  repeatedly  risked  his  life  and  his  yacht  to  save  the  unfortunates. 
Time  and  time  again  it  seemed  as  if  the  boat  was  unable  to  withstand  the  raging 
torrent  of  water.  At  one  time  it  had  to  be  lashed  to  the  harbor  boat  Mark 
Twain,  and  both  crafts  came  near  to  being  dashed  to  pieces  against  the  piers 
of  the  Eads  bridge. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.,  June   t,    1903.       Interior  of  Union  Depot,  Waiting  Room  and  Ticket  Qffice. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.,  June  2,  1903.       High-water  mark  in  front  of  Union   Passenger  Station. 


Union  Avenue  looking  west  from  veranda  of  Union  Depot,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  June  2.  1903.     High-water  mark 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     The  Gondolier  in   Union  Avenue. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Sink  hole  on   Santa  Fe  Street,  two  blocks  from  the  Missouri   River. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     On  Southwest  Boulevard.     Choice  of  land  or  water  route 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     A  street  scene  in  the  Stock  Yards  District. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Electric  Power  House  and   Elevated   Railway  Bridge  on  the   Kaw 


Kansas  City,  Mo.,  June  2,  1903.       C.  &  A.  Freight  Depot  at  high-water  mark 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     C.  &  A.  freight  house  after  the  water  had  receded. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     C.  &  A.  ice  house  after  the  water  had  receded. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.,  June  2,    1903.       High-water  mark   12th  Street  Viaduct. 


f5*uu 


Kansas  City,   Mo.,  June    i,    1903        High-water  mark  in   Railway  Yards        C.  &  A.  ice  house  in  foreground. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     A  break  between  tracks  and   bridge. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     East  Bottoms,  at  early  stage  of  flood. 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Near  the  Stock  Yards 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Havoc  in  the  Railroad   Yards. 


Kansas  City,  Mo.     In  the  Railroad  Switching  District 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Wreck  of  stock  cars  in  West  Bottoms  after  the  flood. 


Kansas  City,  Mo.,  June  9,  1903.       U.  S.  Express  Co.'s  yards  and  platforms  after  the  water  receded 


JvK'^&PJ 


Kansas  City,   Mo.     Submerged  district  along  C.  &  A.   rignt  of  way. 


Kansas  City,    Mo.     East  Bottoms  during  the  flood.     In  this  district  many  small   houses  were  swept  away. 


Glasgow,   Mo.,   west  of  C.  &.  A.   Bridge. 


A  work  train  distributing  "sand   bags"   in  an  effort  to  save  th 
miles  in  circumference  was  formed  by 


ilasgow,   Mo  .  west  of  C    i  A.  Bridge         A  work  train 


nference  was  formed  by  the  ba 


of  the    Missouri  Rn 


, 


C.  Si   A.  New  Steel   Bridge,   Glasgow,   Mo  ,  (cost  $1,000,000).   which  stood  like  a  rock  against  the  raging 


Kansas  City,  Mo.,  June  3,  1903.     View  of  flooded  district  in  the  Railway  Bottoms  from  Scarrett's  Point. 


Patroling  and  watching  the  largest  bridge  abutment    n  the  world,  at  Glasgow,  Mo.,  to  protect  it  from  the  rush  of  the  waters. 


Glasgow,   Mo.,   and  the  Great  Steel   Bridge  o.er  the   Missouri,   showing  submerged  farm  property  on  river  fn 


A'once  prosperous  farm  in  vicinity  of  C.  &  A   $i  ,000,000  Bridge,  at  Glasgow,  Mo. 


Bent  on  seeing  the  flooded  district  at  "$1.00  per."     "Only  a  coal  car  special"  with  over  600  excursionists. 


rack  of  800  feet,   where  the  water  rushed  through  at  a  depth  of  60  feet. 


Louisiana,    Mo.,  showing  C     &  A.    Railway   Bridge  across  the    Mississippi   to  the 


Cedar  City,  Mo.,  the  terminus  of  C  &  A.  track,  on  the  South  Branch. 


The   Missouri    River  at  Cedar  City,   Mo. 


The  morning  boat  unloading  passengers  for  The  Alton  Limited  at  Alton  station. 


The  mid-day  boat  at  Alton  sta'ion  receiving  passengers,  baggage,  mail,  express  and  milk  for  St.  Louis. 


Passengers  from  the  local  trains  in  morning  taking  the  10:00  o'clock  boat  from  Alton  station  to  St.  Louis. 


The  "Spread  Eagle"  about  to  land  at  Alton,  III. 


Up         i.        '  '' 

9Br  i*--  aft    lfiW^Bfifrp9l 

1 

l-^^mbtrV-A-:^^ 

Transferring  passengers  from  the  boat  to  the  train,  Altor,,  II 


Waiting  on  the  Alton  station  platform  for  the  boat  to  land. 


Express  piled  in  front  of  the  City  Hall  Square,  near  the 
station,  at  Alton,  III. 


The  transfer  of  passengers,   baggage,   mail   and  express  at  Alton  Station,  7:00  a.  m.,  from  the  Chicago-St.  Louis  "Midnight  Special"  to  th 


at  "Spread  Eagle"  receiving  cargo  at  Alton   Passenger  Station.       Division  Passenger  Agent  Burns,  C.  &  A.  Ry. ;   General  Passenger  Agent 
Lynch,  "Big  Four"  Route;  Capt.  William  Leyhe,  "Spread  Eagle,"  and  General  Passenger  Agent  Charlton,  C.  &  A.,  in  foreground. 


Officers  and  agents  of  the  Chicago  &  Alton  Ry.  and  the  Eagle  Packet  Co.  in  charge  at  Alton  and  St.  Louis  of  all  transportation  during  high  water 


Ticket  office  at  Alton,  III.,  used  temporarily  as  general  passenger  office.     Station  Agent  Norris,  Capt.  "Alf."  Robinson  ("Black  Eagle"),  Train  Master 
Reardon,  Gen'l  Pass.  Agent  Charlton  (at  'phone;  receiving  reports  from  St.  Louis.     Telegrapher  and  Stenographer  in  foreground. 


¥ 

R 

K 

1    ' 

Capt.  Alf.  Robinson  of  the  "Black  Eagle.' 


The  good  ship  "Black  Eagle"  pressed  into  special  service 
to  carry  the  overflow,  Tuesday,  June  16,  1903 


Capt.  Russel  Gardner  0'  the  private  yacht  "Annie  Russe''. 


The  private  yacht  "Annie  Russell"  puts  into  Alton 
to  offer  services. 


A  street  close  to  river  front,  Alton,  II 


ffffiflH      r'  :•  I 


Submerged  water  front,  north  of  C.  &  A.  station,  Alton,  III. 


High-water  mark  at  Alton,  III.     C.  &  A.  station  and  boat  landing.      Suburban  platform,  train  shed  and  levee  tracks  under  water  in  foreground. 


Spieler  announcing  -trains  to  passengers  about  to 
land  from  the  boats  at  Alton,  III. 


'*?•. 


*jrfr 


Raising  and  repairing  the  track  at  the  end  of  the  break 
at  Granite  City. 


The  President,  General   Passenger  Agent  and  Train   Master 
"talk  it  over,"  at  Alton.  III. 


C  &  A.  track  near  Mitchell— the  last  to  be  covered  by  water 


Railway  yards  at  Granite  City.     Water  gradually  creeping  up  over  the  tracks. 


First  appearance  of  the  water   in  the  yards  at   East  St.    Louis. 


Liquidating  the  corn  crop.     An  elevator  in  East  St.  Louis. 


Houses  in  East  St.  Louis  near  the  C.  &  A.  depot. 


A  street  scene  in  East  St.  Louis  (C.  &   A.  track  in  foreground) . 


The  improvised|ticket  office  on  the  docks,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 


A  crap  game  on  steamer  between  Alton  and  St.  Louis      The  editor  and  proprietor  of  Saxbys'  Magazine  in  foreground  getting  on  to  the  game. 


View  of  River  Front,   St.   Louis,   Mo.       "Capt.  Alf  "   Robinson's  Boat,  the   "Bio 


Eads  Bridge,   St.  Louis,   Mo.,  at  high-water  mark.       Only  three  boats  were  able  to  find  head   room  to  pass  under. 


Wharf  boat  landing,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  with  bridge  and  gangways  to  street. 


*jp* 


River  Front,  St.   Louis,   Mo.       "Capt.  Alf  "   Robir 


Trucking  baggage  from  the  dock,  St.  Louis,  Mo.     C.  &  A   waiting-room  on  the  left 


Passing  under  Merchants'  Bridge  with  lowered  smoke  stack. 
Will  she  clear  the  bridge  (only  four  inches  to  spare)  ? 


zz: 


^JLTON 


TRI- 
ANGLE 


:sri 


2B= 


M«M      ■ «l    IIIIIWIHI   II 


FA.ITBOR.M  PTQ.  CO.,  CHICAGO. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILUNOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  001052619 


